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The Kansas Future Teacher Academy at Emporia State University (ESU), sponsored by The Teachers College and directed by the Jones Institute, has graduated over 650 of Kansas' brightest high school juniors and seniors over fourteen summers. Since 1989, when the first academy had the honor of receiving the AASCU Christa McAuliffe Showcase for Excellence Award, the Future Teacher Academy at ESU has provided select students with the opportunity to learn more about the challenges and rewards of teaching and has become recognized as an established and highly respected training opportunity for students throughout the state of Kansas.

During this intense five-day program, the participants share in a variety of activities that will help them to understand better what teachers do and to determine whether or not they have the potential for meeting this professional challenge. Activities include participating in seminars on leadership and self-improvement, communicating via interactive video and e-mail with other educational sites in Kansas, and having the opportunity to listen to presentations by – and interact with – ESU instructors, Kansas Master Teachers, a Kansas State Teacher of the Year, a National Board Certified Teacher, and a National Teachers Hall of Fame inductee, among other highly accomplished educators.

Applications for the academy are mailed in the spring to all Kansas public and private high school principals and counselors and to other selected educators and high school club sponsors. Participants are selected from the pool of applicants according to their academic record, school and community leadership, letters of reference, and a short essay on why they are interested in teaching as a career.